300tdi clutch problem

After spending the last 2 days replacing the seal at the rear of the flywheel,I finaly got everything back together,tried the clutch & the pedal went straight to the floor.I looked underneath,there was clutch fluid leaking out of the wading plug hole in the bell housing.
I took out the slave cylinder & the piston was completely out of the cylinder.The push rod was in place in the clutch fork.
Any ideas what I have done wrong,or why it's done this?
Thanks in advance.
Marc

did you fit the release bearing

Yes James.I did'nt take anything out of the bell housing,just stripped the clutch & flywheel out to replace the oil seal at the rear of the flywheel.
Marc

you need to check the fork

OK,

May sound stupid, but is there a chance the slave cylinder seal has gone? mine did similar( but not after a change).

Pedal to the floor, fluid leaking out of the wading plug.

Also something I had to think about was the angle of the vehicle when bleeding the clutch.

Cheers

Clutch fork is new,as is the slave cylinder.
Looks like the gearbox is coming out again...Aaaaggggghhhh.
Marc

How much was the slave cylinder push rod sticking out of the face where the slave cylinder sits flat?

Cheers

It was'nt,it was inside the hole where the slave fits,I had to get a pair of long nose pliers to pul it out.But yhere was a little bit of resistance when I pulled it out,as if it was located properly in the fork.
Marc

Should it stick out???

sharkey964 said:

Should it stick out???

Click to expand...

yes it should if everything is fitted correctly

sharkey964 said:

Yes James.I did'nt take anything out of the bell housing,just stripped the clutch & flywheel out to replace the oil seal at the rear of the flywheel.
Marc

Click to expand...

sharkey964 said:

Clutch fork is new,as is the slave cylinder.
Looks like the gearbox is coming out again...Aaaaggggghhhh.
Marc

Click to expand...

They are contradictory statements, are you sure you clipped the fork on to the ball? I assume you checked both forks side-by-side as there are different versions.

Hi Kwakerman
Thanks for the input.
I put the new clutch,fork,bearing,slave & master cylinder in about 6 months ago.At the same time I replaced the oil seal at the rear of the flywheel,Unfortunatel the seal leaked,so, that is the only thing I was replacing this time.
I split the gearbox,replaced the seal & rebuilt it.I did not however check the fork had stayed in place....Doh.
I suppose,I have learned from that little mistake.
I will be spending another 2 days stripping & rebuilding it AGAIN this weekend.
Marc

I had an hour spare this afternoon,so I had a poke about in the hole where the slave cylinder goes.I could feel the little recesed socket where the push rod sits,but it dousent feel to be in the correct positionI poked a screwdriver in there & tried to push the clutch fork,but it's solid.I guess the fork has moved out of it's position.

The stripdown has begun.
Marc.

So,the saga continues...............
I stripped the gearbox out again,I think the clutch fork had slipped out of position the first time I put it back together,which meant that the slave rod did'nt locate properly in the little recess.
I think this caused the slave piston to push right out & drop all the fluid.
So,all back together,clutch pedal feels normal but I can't get any gears with the engine running,all engage ok when the engine is not running though.
I have bled it every way I know,but no change.
Can anyone give me an idea what might be causing this,I'm just about at the end of my tether.
Thanks all.
Marc

Hi @sharkey964

ref the bleeding,
Is the vehicle on the level or with the front slightly uphill?
Is the slave cylinder bleed screw at the top of the slave cylinder?

Did you by chance ever adjust the master cylinder ?

Cheers

I have tried bellding it with the nose jacked up.
Reverse bled it as well.
I have adjusted the master cylinder rod.
Everything I do makes no diference.
So, I have stripped the gearbox out.............AGAIN!
Everything apears OK,though the clutch fork seems to be touching the bell housing caseing where the slave pushrod fits.
I can't see anything amiss with the seating of the fork on the pivot ball,so don't know why this sould be.
Thanks
Marc

sharkey964 said:

Everything apears OK,though the clutch fork seems to be touching the bell housing caseing where the slave pushrod fits.

Click to expand...

How / where is it touching?
You say you fitted a new one, are you sure it was the correct part?
Did you also fit a new slave rod push rod?

Cheers

If all parts are new and have been tested as working for the last 6 months then they should be correct.
Have you put the friction plate on the wrong way around, it has a flywheel side to it.

OK,just in from another full day in the garrage.
I have stripped the gearbox out (3rd time) ,made sure everything is assembled as it shuold be,friction plate is definately in the right way round,in fact,I tried to put it in the wrong way & it protrudes so as you would struggle to bolt the pressure plate up.
I put the props on & tried it,no change!!!!!!!!!!!
Still can't get gears when the engine is running.
So,the fault in my mind has to be hydraulic.
I have already put a new master & slave cylinger on,they were all working correctly before the first timeI stripped it last week.
The only thing I haven't changed is the flexy pipe from the master cylinder,so I will replace that tomorrow.
I have never had a problem bleeding it up before,so I doubt that ther is any air in the system,though I could be wrong.
If the new flexy dousen't fix it,I have a box of matches at the ready.

Get someone to press clutch pedal while you hold slave in your hand and see if piston is moving.
Start in gear and see if drive is cut when pedal is pushed, up on jacks or props off.